SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Halloween is a time of year for costumes, sweets, tricks and treats. But ghosts, vampires and monsters aren’t the only things to be wary of this Halloween. Accidents and unfortunate mishaps increase dramatically on Halloween. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office wants everyone to have a safe and enjoyable Halloween this year. To keep it fun and avoid potential hazards and dangers, we are asking parents to follow the precautions below to keep children safe while out trick-or-treating.
Some of these are well-known child safety tips, while others focus on the possibility of victimization on an evening when thousands of children may be walking in unfamiliar neighborhoods. The Sheriff’s Office urges parents to talk about prevention and detection of potential dangerous situations throughout the entire year.
- Always trick or treat with an adult. Don’t allow a child to go outside alone.
- Accompany children to the door of every house they approach.
- Stay outside. Do not enter a home or apartment without adult supervision.
- Children should not approach any vehicle, occupied or not.
- Remain visible. Wear bright clothing or use reflective strips on costumes. Carry a glow stick or flashlight.
- Obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations. Look both ways before crossing, walk on sidewalks, and obey traffic signals and stop signs. Always walk; never run across streets or lawns.
- Trick or Treat at friendly homes. Children should be warned to never approach a house that is not well lit and does not have a porch light or outside light on.
- Do not go onto property’s that are marked “Keep Out”, “No Trespassing”, and “No Solicitors Allowed”.
- Never eat any candy until an adult checks it. Dispose of anything that seems to have been tampered with, has been opened, or isn’t wrapped.
- Children should immediately report to their parents and/or law enforcement if they see or experience anything suspicious. Instruct children to shout for help and make a scene if anyone tries to grab them or force them into involuntary situations.
- A great alternative to trick or treating is for parents to attend community trick or treat events or organize at-home parties.
- An additional tool available to parents this holiday season is the Alertid mobile app, providing crime information in the neighborhoods they visit. AlertID now offers residents a free mobile app (AlertID Mobile™) that keeps them connected and informed wherever they go – even while trick-or-treating. Residents can download the app at www.AlertID.com.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office celebrates 150 years of proud service and community partnership in 2011. Sheriff Michael Haley is the 24th person elected to serve as the Sheriff of Washoe County. His office continues to be the only full service public safety agency operating within northern Nevada and is responsible for operating the consolidated detention facility, regional crime lab, Northern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, court security, service of civil process and traditional street patrols.
